A. Ferguson

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Alabama for his remarks and for taking the opportunity to share some of the great things that are happening just across the State line to our neighbors. Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons that tax reform was so important to me, and one of the things that I campaigned so hard for is growing up in a community where we lost our manufacturing backbone, where we lost our job base. We saw families just begin to lose everything. They began to lose their homes, their cars, their small family businesses. We saw a generation move away from our communities to look for better opportunities because the jobs simply weren't there. I know that every single job is important. So every time that we are able to do something in this great Nation to create the environment, where this is the best place on the planet to do business, and we can grow jobs, it is good for our communities; it is good for our friends; it is good for our families; it is good for our neighbors. It makes our community stronger. One of the things about tax reform that is so important to remember is not simply about lowering the rates, but it is about helping American families, because now companies are now making decisions based on their employees and what is best for their bottom line, not arcane provisions that exist in the Tax Code. So every time that I hear someone from the other side say, ``All we did was give a tax break,'' I think it is being disingenuous. I think, quite candidly, it shows a lack of willingness to dig down into what this tax reform is really about; and that is changing how American companies operate so they can be very competitive on the world stage, so that they can make this place the greatest place in the world to do business and hire more of our friends and our family members, your neighbors, in the best-paying jobs on the planet. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct honor to call on my colleague from Georgia's Seventh District, Congressman Rob Woodall. Congressman Woodall is on the Budget Committee, on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and on the Rules Committee. I thank Congressman Woodall for his leadership on those committees. I thank the gentleman for the opportunity that he has spent with me as a freshman guiding me along the way. I know that the folks back home truly appreciate his efforts, because, as a result of tax reform, families making the median income in his district receive a $1,866 increase in their paychecks as a result. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia's Seventh District (Mr. Woodall).

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia's Seventh District for his remarks. Well said. Mr. Speaker, as I close out tonight, I first want to thank all of my colleagues who joined us here tonight to share some of the amazing stories from their districts and their States about what is happening as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It is clear that this is having a real impact. The benefits are clearly more than just crumbs. They are meaningful to every single family. I think one of the things that I see--and I am beginning to see more and more of--is not just simply that an employee is getting a bigger paycheck, which is great, but that enthusiasm that they have; because not only are they being rewarded for the job well done, but they are now seeing new opportunities because of growing businesses that they never had before. It is exciting and it is wonderful to see our friends, our family, and our neighbors, the people who we care about, who we represent, being affected in a positive way. As our economy grows and as we do things here to put more and more back into our communities in the forms of people's freedoms for them to make livings and to raise their children and to do with their family what they feel like is best, I see a bright future for this Nation. Just looking right now, 4 million people just recently receiving bonuses on top of their tax cuts, it has been a huge impact. It is making a difference. This is a promise that was made and it is a promise that has been kept. And because of our growing economy, we will have a chance to keep our other promises: our promise to defend this Nation against foreign invaders, our promise to make sure that our important safety nets are there in the future, making sure that we can keep every promise made to our seniors in terms of Social Security and Medicare, making sure that we can keep our promises to the men and women of the armed services who were willing to die for our freedoms. We can keep our promises to our children to make this Nation a wonderful and great place for them because we are beginning to have the resources that we need to tackle one of the most important challenges that we will ever face, and that is the $21 trillion in debt that we have burdened future generations with. A growing economy gives us the resources to do just that, and I cannot wait to see what this future looks like because I know that it is strong, I know that it is bright, and I know that it is right because we will be able to keep our promises. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to share just a few examples of how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is already helping businesses in Georgia's Third District. It is helping them to grow, and it is helping them to reinvest in their workers. Last month, I had the opportunity to visit such a business, Custom Truck and Body Works, in Woodbury, Georgia. This is a unique company that builds specialty vehicles for first responders. Because of the changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, this small business has been able to hire new workers, is beginning a facility expansion, and, in fact, told me they are still looking for folks to fill positions today. This isn't the only business in the Third District that is thriving because of tax reform. Another small business, Shred-X, which is a small business that has 10 employees and provides recycling and shredding services to 3,000 clients throughout Atlanta and west central Georgia, plans to use the additional savings to buy a new truck and potentially hire a new employee. For a company of 10 people, this is a huge difference. Madam Speaker, I am thrilled to see our Main Street job creators thriving because of tax reform, and I look forward to seeing our economy continue to thrive as Americans reap the benefits of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the distinguished career of John Anderson of Kia Motors. John is retiring at the end of this year, after 33 years in the auto industry. From General Motors, to Delphi, to Kia, John has seen the ups and downs of the auto industry and has more than earned his retirement. But, this is a bittersweet moment for many of us in my hometown of West Point, Georgia. Kia opened a Washington office in conjunction with opening its manufacturing plant in 2010. The plant opened when I was mayor and Sonny Perdue was Governor. John was on the job then and has been there every day as the head of Washington's office since it opened. From the beginning of his career at Disney's Epcot Center, when he was the General Motors guy explaining the future of the industry, to his current role at Kia, John has made the automotive industry better; and he has done it with a remarkable touch of humanity and friendship along the way. John has been a great advocate for my hometown, for my district, and for the industry of Kia that now calls it home. As he moves into retirement with his wife, Joanna, as they get to spend a little time together, we wish him well in his retirement.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. As a lifelong gun owner and staunch advocate for protecting our Second Amendment rights, I am proud to cosponsor this legislation. H.R. 38 would protect law-abiding gun owners with concealed carry permits, like the single mother, Shaneen Allen, from Pennsylvania. Many of you have heard this story. I know the author of this bill, Mr. Hudson, has told this story many times, where Miss Allen was arrested in New Jersey during a routine traffic stop because her valid Pennsylvania concealed carry license had no legal standing in New Jersey. Our constitutionally protected Second Amendment rights should not stop at a State line. This commonsense bill would ensure that concealed carry permit holders' rights to carry firearms across all State lines will exist. The legislation would allow Georgia's 600,000-plus concealed carry permit holders to remain protected while traveling. The bill would also incentivize States to report individuals prohibited from owning guns to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System, better knows as NICS, and it gives States the resources they need to follow this law. This would not put an additional burden on law-abiding gun owners or make it more difficult for them to purchase or carry a firearm. It simply ensures that agencies and bureaucrats are following the existing laws. I appreciate Mr. Hudson's hard work to advance this commonsense legislation to protect Americans' constitutional rights, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this rule and the bill.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Save Local Business Act. I have heard from dozens of businesses and employees in my district that have faced uncertainty under the expanded joint employer definition, which threatens job creation, it increases costs, and discourages entrepreneurs from opening up new businesses. The National Labor Relations Board's decision ignored decades of settled labor policy by changing the joint employer definition and putting all businesses and their workers at risk. We should be making America the most competitive place in the world to do business, not saddling our job creators with unnecessary and confusing regulations. This bill would take the right step to reinstate sound, widely accepted standards, and I urge all of my colleagues to support its passage.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the FY18 budget. I think that this is a very important step in doing something that this Nation needs, and that is for the United States Congress and the President to pass tax reform. For way too long, our national economy has languished at a GDP growth that is far below historical averages. One of the most important things that we have got to do is to grow our economy because that leads to families being successful, rising wages, being able to have careers for themselves and their family members, and I believe that tax reform unlocks the American economy in a way that we haven't seen in decades. For far too long, we have looked at our Tax Code only through a set of domestic lenses and only looked at the rates; and we get into these ridiculous debates about the top bracket versus the lowest bracket, and we divide our Nation. But, for the first time, we are approaching our Tax Code through a set of global lenses that really give our American economy a chance to be competitive on the world stage. It is not simply about cutting rates. It is not simply about giving a break to one group or another and to get away from this rhetoric. It is about creating the most vibrant place in the world to do business by reforming the Code and creating fairness. If we do that and our American families succeed, and we see people moving from poverty into the middle class, and from the middle class up, and we see entrepreneurs, and we see new businesses and innovation, we are going to see growth in our economy like we have not seen in a generation. The importance of that is it will give us the tools that we need to address the single biggest driver of our debt, and that is mandatory spending. And this body must have the political courage and integrity, along with the Senate, to address mandatory spending, to have an honest conversation about Social Security, about Medicare, about Medicaid, and, most importantly, about welfare entitlement reform, because we can no longer trap generation after generation in poverty. We must create pathways out of poverty into the middle class for our fellow Americans. We can do this. We can be committed to it.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the PARTNERS Act, legislation I am introducing this morning with my friend, Representative Bonamici from Oregon. Our bill would establish a grant program to support the creation and expansion of innovative apprenticeships that prepare our workers for 21st century careers. In the Third District of Georgia, the CEC in Newnan has led Georgia by implementing an apprenticeship model, and since then, we have seen apprenticeships continue to expand across our great State. I, along with Ms. Bonamici, are introducing the PARTNERS Act today to bring more programs like this to students and workers across the Nation. By funding this grant with already existing H1-B visa fees, which are collected from foreign visa applicants, we are ensuring that workers can receive immediate work-based training at no cost to the American taxpayer.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Chairman, I would first like to thank the gentlewoman from Tennessee for her leadership during this budget process. She has done an amazing job of showing wisdom and patience and negotiating this all through this process. My sincere thanks are given to the gentlewoman. This budget is a critical step in getting our economy growing and our national debt under control. Not only does it balance in 10 years and put our country on the path to fiscal stability, it also lays the groundwork for tax reform. With this budget, we are demonstrating that it is possible to have fiscal discipline and keep our promises to the American people. We can no longer continue to kick the can down the road on our mandatory spending crisis. We are leaving behind more and more debt for our children and grandchildren, and it is morally wrong. We must put politics aside and have tough conversations to ensure that we can keep the promises that we have made to Americans and to future generations. This budget does not solve our mandatory spending crisis overnight, but it begins that process by achieving a $203 billion savings in mandatory spending. By passing this budget, we will also kick-start tax reform. I have said time and time again that America should be the best place in the world to do business, yet we have a Tax Code that tells our businesses that they should take their jobs and their profits overseas. Every American benefits from lower taxes and growing the economy. The tax reform framework we released last week will do just that. Americans will get to keep more of their hard-earned paychecks, companies will have the freedom to reinvest in their businesses and workers, and more people can move to the American Dream. Before we can make these changes, we must pass the budget. The reconciliation instructions in the budget will set us on a path to comprehensive tax reform in both the House and the Senate. This is not just a conversation about dollars and cents. It is about Americans who are counting on us to keep our commitments. We must do the tough work of reforming our mandatory spending programs and reforming our Tax Code. I am excited to support this budget to build a better America and pledge to continue working toward comprehensive mandatory spending reform.

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I want to start by saying that I appreciate the opportunity to have this discussion today because it is an important one. I know that the gentleman from Virginia and I both want to address the challenges facing our Nation and our fellow Americans. We agree that the status quo is insufficient to meet the needs of the future, and we share a passion for protecting the vulnerable, breaking the cycles of poverty, and lifting Americans up. But I must oppose this budget because it will not accomplish those things. This budget raises taxes by $4 trillion, increases spending by $1.4 trillion, and it never balances. It proposes more Washington-mandated answers to problems that States and communities are better equipped to solve. It makes no effort to control Federal deficits and debt, and it will leave our country bankrupt. I want to be clear what this means. This budget will double down on generational theft--spending more and more money that we don't have today and leaving our children and grandchildren to foot the bill tomorrow. In contrast, the Republican budget confronts our Nation's fiscal challenges head on by requiring mandatory spending reductions of at least $203 billion and balancing within 10 years. While this budget measures success on how much the Federal Government spends, the Republican House budget proposes to measure success by outcomes. If we have learned nothing from decades of spending on Federal welfare programs, it is that more money cannot resolve the complex issues underlying systemic poverty. We must change our approach, and this starts with changing how we measure results. This budget also fails to address a critical piece of the upward mobility agenda: reforming our broken Tax Code. Instead, it calls for tax increases that would stifle economic growth that the country so desperately needs. America should be the most competitive place in the world to do business, but everything in our Tax Code today tells companies to take their jobs and their investments overseas and to leave them there. Higher taxes on job creators and small businesses is the exact opposite of what we need to bring workers back into the labor force and get our economy growing again. Now is the time for comprehensive tax reform that unleashes the entrepreneurial spirit of America, increases business and personal investment, and promotes job creation. By failing to move the ball forward on tax reform, this budget leaves the American workers and families behind. Lastly, Mr. Chairman, I want to note what this proposal does make cuts in, and that is in our national defense. In a time when we face increasingly complex and evolving international threats from places like North Korea, Russia, and Iran, this budget would cut overall defense spending and compromise the readiness and safety of our servicemembers and our national freedoms. The first job of the Federal Government is to provide for our national security. We need to reinvest in our military to deter global threats and protect our homeland. That is why the Republican budget fulfills Congress' commitment to ensure robust funding for our country's national defense. Mr. Chairman, we will have a lot of conversations today about priorities, because that is what budgets are: clear illustrations of our priorities. We want to leave our Nation better for our children and grandchildren. We all want every person, regardless of their socioeconomic status or ZIP Code, to have the opportunity to realize the American Dream. I oppose this budget proposal because it will not help us achieve these goals. It avoids the tough questions and substitutes more spending for better results. It does nothing to promote vibrant economic growth, and it doubles down on bad ideas that stifle ingenuity and the spirit of entrepreneurism that we need. We have a responsibility to secure our Nation's fiscal future and improve the lives of our citizens, but this budget is not the way forward. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Lewis).

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gaetz).

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Norman).

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I certainly understand our colleagues' desire to fight poverty. I would like to share a little bit of my experience and what we have done to fight poverty at the local level. For generations now, we have continued to throw more and more money towards eliminating poverty, with fewer and fewer results. Yes, we have succeeded in alleviating the effects of poverty, but we have made very little progress in actually lifting people out of poverty. Instead of giving people a hand up, we are giving them a handout and essentially telling them life can't get any better than where they are. That is morally wrong, and I think that we can do better. The key to solving poverty isn't just simply throwing more money at the problem. It is to try something different and find innovative ways to fix our welfare entitlement system, improve our education system, and return the dignity of work to our fellow citizens. The proposed amendment does none of these things. It simply perpetuates the cycle of generational poverty that has been passed down from parent to child. I saw the same situation in my hometown of West Point, Georgia. In fact, it is what motivated me to enter public service and run for mayor. We had a community that was dying. Folks were trapped in generational poverty and had been stripped of the dignity of work. Instead of continuing the current system, we made changes. We worked to get the government out of the way and allow the job creators to innovate and grow their businesses to hire more workers. We invested in our infrastructure and we were able to create over 15,000 advanced manufacturing jobs. For the first time in a generation, we saw more people moving into the middle class than moving into poverty. We made changes to our education system, working to break through the generational cycle of poverty and prepare today's students to work in a 21st century workforce. With all of these changes, we saw our community come back to life. People had jobs and opportunity. They took advantage of it. They had the advanced manufacturing sector spring back to life, and we saw a revitalization of not only our community, but of our people. These lessons are from the folks in the Third District. They sent me here to push those same type of ideas here in Congress. The Republican budget puts us on a path to this type of reform, and I believe my colleagues and I share the desire to fight poverty in this country. However, I do not believe that the CBC budget proposal does us that justice. I look forward to passing the House budget. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Chairman, I would like to urge my colleagues to join me in opposing the budget presented by the gentleman from Virginia. This budget does nothing to address our mandatory spending challenges. It never balanced. It raises taxes, it increases spending, it cuts funding to our military. We can do better, we must do better, and the House budget is the way forward. The American people sent us here to get our fiscal house in order. This budget does not accomplish that goal. I urge my colleagues to vote against it. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr, Speaker, I rise today to honor the retirement of Dr. Stephen A. Ralls. Dr. Ralls has served as the Executive Director of the American College of Dentists for the past 20 years, one of the longest serving leaders in the organization's 100-year history. The American College of Dentists was founded on August 20, 1920, in response to serious problems facing the profession. The group works to elevate the standards of dentistry, encourage graduate study and grant fellowship to those who have done meritorious work. The American College of Dentists is nonprofit and apolitical, and has long been regarded as the ``conscience of dentistry.'' As a dentist myself, I deeply appreciate the contributions of this organization, and, particularly Dr. Ralls, to the field of dentistry. Their work has elevated the field and calls on all dentists to excel. I want to extend my gratitude to Dr. Ralls for his commitment to the American College of Dentists and the greater community of dentistry. I congratulate him on his retirement.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 810) to facilitate construction of a bridge on certain property in Christian County, Missouri, and for other purposes.

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 810.

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 810 would allow the community of Ozark, Missouri, to finish the Riverside Bridge project, which spans the Finley River. After repeated major flooding in the area, the community purchased the land next to the existing bridge. As a condition of the Federal funds used to purchase this land, FEMA prohibits the building of any structures on the property. Replacing the current one-lane bridge is essential and will alleviate traffic for families, small business owners, and emergency responders traveling in the region. I would like to thank the entire Missouri delegation for their work on this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support its passage. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of one of the Third District's most upstanding citizens, Mr. Cliff Glover. Mr. Glover passed away last month at the age of 104, but not before touching countless lives in our community. His community service began at a young age in the Boy Scouts, an organization that he would work with for the rest of his life, earning the rank of Life Scout and the Silver Antelope Award for his service to the organization. Mr. Glover also served his Nation in the Civil Engineer Corps of the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II, working on the U.S. Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida, now known as Cape Canaveral. In the private sector, Mr. Cliff successfully led the Batson-Cook Construction Company as it built many important buildings and developments throughout the southeast. I consider myself blessed to have known Mr. Glover personally, and his commitment to serving others helped inspire my own public service. I want to challenge all of my colleagues, friends, and neighbors to carry on his legacy of serving others.

Mr. FERGUSON

Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. George Dillard, whose leadership and guidance have made him a valuable member of the community in Peachtree City and Georgia's Third District. George was born in 1958, in Jacksonville, Florida, while his dad served in the Navy. He grew up in the Eastpoint Christian Church where he was ordained into ministry in 1982. He graduated with a bachelor of science degree from Atlanta Christian College in 1983, and answered the call for the First Christian Church in Rincon, Georgia, in 1985, where he began his first full-time ministry. In 1993, George and his family moved to Peachtree City to serve the Peachtree City Christian Church, where he continues today. George has been married to his wife, Renee, since 1988, and they have three children and one grandchild. George and his family live in Peachtree City, Georgia. I want to commend Dr. Dillard for his commitment to our community. There is not a week that goes by where George isn't a visible and welcoming part of the Fayette County community. The grace and love he has shown his parishioners and neighbors throughout his 24 years in Peachtree City is unparalleled. I am truly honored to have Dr. George Dillard here with us here today.